


Lost Souls

by random_writer



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Angel Levi (Shingeki no Kyojin), Angel Wings, Angst, Blood Drinking, Enemies to Lovers, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Paranormal Investigators, Smut, Torture, Vampire Eren Yeager, Wing Kink
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-05-16
Updated: 2019-05-31
Packaged: 2020-03-06 07:04:54
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 15,702
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18846070
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/random_writer/pseuds/random_writer
Summary: Levi is an angel, Eren is a vampire. As agents of Heaven and Hell, and sworn enemies, they must work together to capture a wayward soul. What could possibly go wrong?





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote the first 10k words of this fic on my day off. The idea just hit me and I had to run with it. 
> 
> I hope you enjoy! If you do, kudos and comments really make my day.

The doorbell chimed as Levi stormed into the air-conditioned hall of sin; otherwise known as a truck-stop diner. His shiny black shoes squeaked against the sticky floor and his gaze darted across surfaces stained with coffee and ketchup. He scowled at teenagers necking and greedy patrons stuffing their faces with undercooked chips swimming in gravy.

His skin was crawling by the time he reached booth number five. He sat across from a giant of a man with perfectly styled blonde hair and intense eyebrows.

“Would it kill you to smile.” Levi’s blonde companion sipped his coffee.

“Why am I here, Erwin?” Levi glared, ignoring his superior’s sarcasm. After three centuries, he’d grown used to it.

Erwin leaned into the red leather booth and stretched his arms. “I thought you’d be pleased. I have an assignment which could earn you your freedom.”

Levi’s eyes widened. He sat forward and rested his elbows on the table, then immediately regretted it when his right elbow landed in something wet.

Biting back disgust, he kept his gaze on Erwin’s arrogant smirk. “I’m being promoted?”

“You’re our best earthbound agent.” Erwin sighed. “But you’ve made it clear that you want a change. Heaven is willing to consider your request if you complete their next mission.”

A thrill ran up Levi’s spine. One more assignment and he’d be free! His features softened at the thought of a cushy office job. He’d have a desk and a door he could lock and, best of all, he wouldn’t be surrounded by filth. Heaven was spotless, unlike the germy, disgusting mess that was Earth.

“What’s the mission?” Levi asked.

Erwin cleared his throat and broke eye contact. The archangel wasn’t one to hold back. Levi’s excitement drained away.

Levi had been requesting a promotion for almost two centuries and had been knocked back every time. Why was Heaven only now considering his request? What had changed? It had to have something to do with this mission. Something bad.

Footsteps approached them from behind. Levi tensed. Erwin’s grim expression did not reassure him. What made an archangel nervous?

Levi’s stomach clenched and the hairs on the back of his neck rose. He reached into the front pocket of his suit jacket and wrapped his fingers around the handle of a silver blade. It felt cool and smooth beneath his palm.

“Erwin…” Levi began, ready for a fight.

The footsteps stopped. Two tall, slim men with brown hair and matching black leather jackets were standing beside their booth. One was in his mid-forties with a beard and glasses and the other much younger with piercing green eyes. Levi didn’t recognise the younger man, but the older man’s face was one he would never forget. He slammed his silver blade onto the table.

“Do you have a death wish, Yeager?” Levi growled. “Get out of here before I put you and your friend back in the grave; and this time you’ll stay dead.”

The two men looked at each other and grinned; displaying matching sets of elongated fangs.

“You haven’t told him?” Grisha Yeager chuckled and slid into the booth beside Erwin.

Erwin shifted as far away from Grisha as was physically possible, but didn’t fight. Levi couldn’t believe what he was seeing. An archangel should smite a vampire on sight!

“Told me what?” Levi hissed.

The younger vampire slid into the booth beside Levi, looking uncomfortable and a little afraid.

As he should, Levi thought.

Levi pulled a second blade from his jacket and pressed it against the younger vampire’s throat. The silver burned the vampire’s skin.

The young vampire raised his hands in the universal sign of peace and clenched his jaw. A thin line of flesh just above the vampire’s Adam’s apple turned black and his eyes flashed with the threat of violence. Levi was stunned that he didn’t fight back.

“Erwin, why are these vermin sitting at our table?” Levi asked in a level tone.

“Put your knives away.” Erwin sighed.

Levi scoffed. That wasn’t going to happen. “Tell me what’s going on first.”

“You already know Grisha Yeager…” Erwin began.

Grisha winked. Levi’s knuckles turned white as he glared at the arrogant vampire sitting beside Erwin. Yes, they knew each other.

A few decades back, Grisha and his nest had ambushed Levi while he was collecting a soul. They managed to overpower him and steal the corpse to create another warrior in their undead army. With their rare advantage, they trapped Levi. Grisha managed to rip half a dozen feathers from Levi's wings before he escaped.

Removing feathers from an angel’s wings was a crime unlike any in the human realm. It was a spiritual attack as well as a physical one. An angel’s feathers were the physical manifestation of their soul, and to remove a piece was like cutting off a limb. Since Grisha’s attack, Levi’s soul had never been the same.

With every injury, his wings grew more damaged. When he had been a fledgeling they were pure white. Now, they were a mishmash of dark, angry colours which mirrored the violence which had been enacted upon him. He kept them hidden, tucked away in the angelic plane, at all times. They were broken, ugly things which caused him constant pain.

“The man with your knife at his throat is his son, Eren Yeager.” Erwin continued.

Levi’s gaze flicked towards the younger vampire.

“You’ll be working together to complete this assignment,” Erwin said.

There was a loud thump as Levi slammed both blades against the cheap wooden table. Eren sighed with relief, but remained vigilant in case Levi tried to kill him again. Smart, Levi thought.

“Why are Heaven and Hell working together?” Levi asked.

“This is a special circumstance,” Erwin said. “We have a rogue soul which Heaven and Hell both have a claim to. Instead of starting a war, we decided to put forward our best agents and collect the soul peacefully.”

Levi arched an eyebrow and pointed his thumb at Eren. “This pipsqueak is the best Hell could come up with?”

“Believe it, feathers.” Eren grinned.

Levi ground his teeth. “Don’t call me that.” 

“Would you prefer to work with me, Levi?” Grisha purred.

Levi’s wings twinged with remembered pain. Grisha had taken pleasure in Levi’s agony. He fought the urge to shrink away from the vile vampire.

“You’d be dead the first time you turned your back,” Levi growled.

“I’d never turn my back on _you_ , Levi.” Grisha winked.

Levi leapt over the table with a blade in each hand. Only Erwin’s quick thinking and Eren’s reflexes prevented him from slicing Grisha’s head off his shoulders. They wrestled Levi back into his seat before anyone in the diner could notice the commotion.

That was one of the strangest things about Earth, Levi thought. Humans kept their head down and their noses out of other people’s business, even when they were in danger. It was a fatal flaw in their design, he thought. He would never vocalise this. It would be blasphemy.

“Calm down, Levi. Remember what I told you.” Erwin said.

Levi stopped struggling. His blood was boiling, but it calmed to a simmer as he remembered Erwin’s promise.

_Heaven is willing to consider your request if you successfully complete their next mission._

His dream was within reach. All he had to do was put up with this brat vampire for a few hours until they captured some damned soul. It was a small price to pay for his freedom, but it didn’t make him any happier to be working with Hell’s spawn.

He released a long sigh and shrugged Eren’s hand off his shoulder. The brat was strong. “Who’s the soul?”

“A boy called Armin Arlert.” Erwin said. He pulled a white manila file from his suit jacket and placed it on the table in front of Levi. “All the information you’ll need is in there.”

“I have a question.” Eren waved his hand like he was in school. “What’s to keep us from killing each other while we look for the soul? I mean, no offence, but your angel is a bit unstable.”

Levi opened his mouth to release a series of creature curses but was cut off by a look from Erwin.

“If you accept the terms of this assignment, I’ll bless you both…” Erwin said.

Grisha snickered. “Fucking angels. It’s not a blessing, it’s a curse.”

Erwin ignored him. “…with a spell which will prevent you from harming each other. You will do everything in your power to keep your partner alive until you have captured Armin’s soul. Agreed?”

Levi and Eren shared a look of mutual distrust, then presented their left hands to Erwin. They both knew the drill.

Erwin pricked the soft flesh of their palms with a needle; Levi first, then Eren. Instead of obeying gravity’s laws, the red blood from the twin wounds began to float. Strange patterns formed in the air until the streams of blood combined in a dark chain then vanished.

Levi blinked. He didn’t feel any different. His underlying urge to kill vampires had not diminished, but he knew in his soul that to kill Eren would be to kill himself. Grisha was right. It’s wasn’t a blessing, it was a curse, and a powerful one at that.

Grisha broke the silence by clapping his hands together. “Wonderful. I’ll say farewell to my son and then you two can get to work. _Ciao_!”

Grisha grabbed Eren’s collar and dragged him from the diner. Levi watched them talking outside under the light of the full moon. They laughed, and Levi ground his teeth. He wished he could hear what they were saying.

Erwin relaxed into his chair. He was calmer now that the vampires were gone and Levi was no longer threatening to murder anyone.

“Don’t think I haven’t noticed your little trick,” Levi said and slid his knives back into the folds of his jacket.

Erwin quirked an eyebrow.

“The curse only prevents me from killing Eren until the soul is captured,” Levi said. “I presume, once I capture it, I am to dispose of Eren and bring the soul to Heaven.”

Erwin grinned. “Your talents will be wasted behind a desk.”


	2. Chapter 2

“Let's move, feathers!” Eren ran for the carpark the moment Erwin and Levi stepped out of the diner.

Levi rolled his eyes and walked past Grisha without acknowledging his existence. The sky turned orange as the sun rose.

“Good luck, boys!” Grisha waved.

Levi’s shoulders tensed. The curse wouldn’t prevent him from killing Grisha, but Levi doubted Eren would be willing to continue their mission if he killed his father. Later, he promised himself. Grisha's death would be his final act on Earth before his promotion.

Eren stopped beside a black hearse decorated with purple flames. Levi caught up, frowned at the vehicle, and shook his head.

“Could you be any more stereotypical?” Levi said. “A vampire who drives a hearse. Do you sleep in the coffin too?”

Eren grinned. His smile looked friendlier with his fangs retracted; not that Levi was about to forget that he was a vampire anytime soon. Especially since he would be killing him once they found the rogue soul.

“Only in emergencies,” Eren unlocked the car and slid into the driver's seat. “Hop in.”

“I have my own transport,” Levi said.

Eren’s bright green eyes widened. “You gonna fly, feathers?”

Levi clenched his jaw. “Flying is only for emergencies, and to travel between Heaven and Earth.”

“So… where’s your car?” Eren leaned out the window of his hearse to look across the carpark. Besides a truck and a few sedans, the carpark was empty.

Levi lifted his chin and pulled his keys from his suit pocket. “I don’t drive a car.”

A flash of headlights illuminated a white motorcycle parked nearby. Eren’s jaw dropped.

“What kind of angel rides a Harley?”

“Quit drooling, brat. We have work to do.” Levi put on his helmet and windbreaker. A set of green and silver wings were embroidered on the back of the jacket.

“I’ll meet you there,” Levi said as the motorcycle engine roared to life beneath him. The familiar vibrations travelled up his spine and along his limbs. An unconscious smile grew on his face. He took off a second before Eren and allowed the tension of the night to be taken by the wind as it rushed past his ears.

It took almost an hour to reach Greenville and find the Arlert residence amid countless suburban homes. They all looked the same to Levi, and yet the humans inside were so proud of their little blocks of land. He pulled up in front of a delicate townhouse with a white fence and a sweet little flower garden. The mailbox was shaped like a cow and had ARLERT painted in crooked letters. Only a child could have painted it.

Eren’s hearse tore down the street as Levi was removing his helmet and jacket. He felt rejuvenated after the ride. He stretched his arms over his head to loosen the muscles along his spine.

“Alright!” Eren jumped from the hearse and straightened his leather jacket. He wore sunglasses and a cap to keep the morning sun off his skin. “Let’s meet the ‘rents.”

“Wait,” Levi said, taking a closer look at Eren in the light of day. “You can’t go in looking like that.”

Eren looked down at his jeans, heavy black boots, ripped tee and fake chains with a pout. “What do you mean?”

“We’re supposed to be feds,” Levi said. “Don’t you have something more… professional?”

Eren looked at Levi like he thought he was joking. He was clearly more equipped to steal souls from back alleys and crack dens, not nice little suburban homes.

Levi sighed and removed the two blades he stored in his suit jacket. Eren tensed.

“You gonna kill me because I don’t have a suit?” Eren asked.

Levi smirked. If only he could. He slid the knives into the sleeves of his white business shirt, removed his suit jacket and thrust it at Eren’s chest. “Put this on and lose the hat.”

“Do you want me to spontaneously combust?” Eren said as he replaced his leather jacket with Levi’s suit. It was about two sizes too small. If Eren flexed, it would rip.

“You’d burst into flames without the cap?” Levi said, stunned.

“No… But I’d get a nasty sunburn. I’ll avoid the melanoma thanks.”

Levi muttered angrily under his breath as they walked through the gate and approached the house. He looked like a Mormon with his black suit pants, white button-up shirt and black tie. Eren looked like a hungover businessman stumbling home after a big night out. Somehow, they had to convince poor Armin Arlert’s grieving family that they were there to investigate his murder.

Levi knocked on the door.

A kind-looking old man with white hair and grey eyes opened the door and squinted at them. His glasses were in his top pocket, and it was clear that he would benefit from using them. He wore a thick jacket and scarf despite it being late spring.

Levi was about to introduce them when Eren jumped in.

“Hello, sir. My name is Agent Yeager and this is my partner Agent… Feathers.” Eren cleared his throat to mask a laugh. “We’d like to ask you some questions regarding Armin Arlert. Are his parents available?”

Levi couldn’t help but be a little impressed by Eren’s professional tone. Who’d have thought the bratty vampire was such a competent con artist?

“I’m Armin’s grandfather. I was his guardian until…” The old man’s voice trembled and tears filled his grey eyes.

“Terribly sorry for your loss,” Eren said. “May we come in?”

“Oh,” Mr Arlert waved his arm, and Levi moved to step through the door. Eren grabbed Levi's elbow to stop him.

“Sorry, sir. You need to give verbal permission for us to enter. It’s the law.” Eren said through his teeth. His hand tightened on Levi’s elbow. _Vampire Law_ , Levi thought sarcastically. So, they really did need permission to enter a home.

“Oh, well. Yes, I give you permission to come in.” Mr Arlert said and shuffled into the living room.

They followed Mr Arlert into the kitchen, sat at the bar and sipped herbal tea while they interrogated him. They didn’t learn anything they hadn’t already read in Erwin’s report. Armin was a good kid. Top of his grade in science and mathematics. Only one year off graduating. He’d been offered scholarships at three prestigious universities. The kid’s potential had been enormous.

When Mr Arlert took them to see Armin’s room, Levi was itching to leave. They weren’t getting anywhere with this line of questioning and there was no sign that the boy was haunting his family home.

NASA posters and enlarged photographs of planets and comets covered every surface of Armin’s room. Near the window was a large telescope. His bookshelves were full of old-school science fiction novels and physics textbooks. On his bed was a stuffed astronaut beanie baby.

Levi’s chest tightened. He would do everything in his power to let Armin’s soul rest for eternity in Heaven. A sweet kid like this didn’t belong in Hell.

“Kid had dreams.” Mr Arlert blubbered. “He was going to be the first man on Mars.”

Eren flicked through a National Geographic magazine, unaffected by the man’s grief.

“I’m sorry.” Levi placed his hand on the old man’s arm, then flinched. Mr Arlert was… cold.

Levi’s eyes widened as he caught sight of their reflection in the mirror. Levi wasn’t comforting a man, but a boy of sixteen with a mop of blonde hair and big blue eyes. The kid's face was warped in a mask of rage. _Armin_.

Levi reached for his blades, but Armin was faster. He slammed a hardcover textbook against Levi’s temple. Levi stumbled and his knives spilt onto the carpet.

Eren spun around but wasn’t prepared for a fight. Armin had taken them both completely off-guard. Levi watched as Mr Arlert/Armin grabbed Levi’s blade off the floor and jabbed it at Eren.

Eren’s vampiric reflexes helped him avoid the brunt of the blow, but he still earned a deep slice along his chest. Blood dripped onto the carpet and the scent of burning flesh filled the small room.

“Armin, we’re here to help you!” Eren gasped, clutching his wound.

Mr Arlert/Armin lashed out again, but Eren was ready this time. He grabbed the old man’s wrist. It snapped and he dropped the blade. Mr Arlert/Armin didn’t flinch.

Normally, the pain was enough of a shock to eject a spirit possessing a human. If Mr Arlert hadn’t reacted to a broken wrist, then that meant that he was already dead.

Levi dove into the fray to pull the old man off Eren. He pinned his arms and dragged him back, kicking and screaming.

“Eren,” Levi growled, struggling with the surprisingly strong man. “Grab Armin’s soul.”

Armin screamed. His skull collided with Levi’s. Levi's vision went white, his grip loosened and he fell back.

Eren leapt forward as Mr Arlert/Armin scooped Levi's dropped blade off the floor.

Armin thrust upwards with the silver knife. Eren’s eyes went wide and there was a horrible wet sound as the blade tore through his flesh.

“Shit,” Levi hissed.

Armin ripped the blade free of Eren’s gut and blood poured from the fatal wound. Meanwhile, Levi grabbed the second knife from the floor and slammed it into Mr Arlert/Armin’s back. The possessed body jolted once, then collapsed.

Levi watched Armin’s soul float out of Mr Arlert’s mouth. It looked like a string of bright lights. He tried to grab it, but it was too fast. It slipped out the window and disappeared.

“Shit,” Levi repeated as he looked at the mess they had made. The dead human, Mr Arlert, was slumped face-down on Armin’s bed. When Levi looked beneath his scarf and jumper he saw dark bruises on the old man’s throat. It looked like he’d hung himself before they arrived, and Armin had taken the opportunity to possess his empty shell.

Eren groaned and coughed up blood. He was curled in the foetal position on the carpet, his bloody hands pressed to his stab wound. If it had been inflicted by a regular blade, he would have already healed. Because it was a silver blade, Eren would bleed out slowly.

“Bet you’re pleased,” Eren grumbled as Levi crouched beside him.

“Why would I be pleased?” Levi said bluntly. He would be lying if he weren’t a little relieved. This saved him the effort of killing Eren later.

“Don’t patronise me.” Eren hissed. “We both know once the soul was captured we were ordered to kill each other.”

Levi nodded. Eren was dying anyway. “You’re right.”

Levi felt a pang of regret. It wasn’t Eren’s fault his father, Grisha, was an asshole. It wasn’t his fault he was the spawn of Hell, and therefore Levi’s mortal enemy. It was just how the world worked.

“It hurts,” Eren coughed. His teeth were stained red and a single tear dripped from the corner of his left eye.

Even if Levi wanted to, he couldn’t end his suffering. The stupid curse would kill him too.

“I’m sorry,” Levi said. He was surprised by his own words.

Why was he watching this poor brat die? He moved to leave, but a physical weight on his shoulders kept him kneeling beside the dying vampire. It wasn’t sentiment, he physically couldn’t move.

Panic settled in Levi’s chest. He recognised the power of the curse wrapping around his limbs. What had the wording been? What had Erwin said?

_You will do everything in your power to keep your partner alive until you have completed your mission._

Levi’s shoulders slumped. Everything in his power. Next time he saw Erwin, he was going to kill him.

“Drink my blood,” Levi said. The words tasted like ash on his tongue.

“What?” Eren could not have looked more stunned. All the colour had drained from his face. He didn’t have long.

Levi cringed. Was he really about to let a vampire drink from him? He had no choice. It was that, or die.

“Hurry up before I change my mind,” Levi said.

“But…” Eren struggled to speak. He didn’t even have the energy to raise his head.

“For fuck's sake,” Levi grabbed his silver blade off the floor and cut into the fleshy part of his palm. At the scent of fresh blood, not his own, Eren’s fangs snapped out and his beautiful green eyes turned black. Levi mentally slapped himself, vampires didn’t have beautiful eyes.

“L… Levi…” Eren choked and turned his head as Levi brought his bleeding hand to the vampire’s lips.

Eren grabbed Levi’s wrist in a bruising grip. He dragged Levi closer. He fell against Eren’s chest.

“Sorry,” Eren whispered, then bit into Levi’s hand.

Levi jolted as a spark of pain ran up his forearm. It was as sharp as lightning. Then, he felt the dreadful pull of blood being sucked from his body. It was horrible, and then it wasn’t.

A lightness came over Levi. He relaxed into the feeling, leaning into Eren’s touch. Levi imagined this was what it was like to be high. He felt like he was floating. There was no pain, just a pleasant burning that was almost pleasurable. He slumped to the floor and rested his head on Eren’s chest, taking comfort in his closeness as the vampire drank from him.

Then, the bliss was gone. Eren was gone. He’d leapt across the room as if Levi had burned him.

Levi blinked, startled by the suddenness of his return to reality. It was almost disappointing. He wanted to feel light again.

“I’m sorry,” Eren’s chest was heaving and blood coated his chin and stained his clothes. His fangs were still out.

Levi was lying on his back like a starfish. He lifted his hand and saw two neat puncture wounds were Eren had bitten him. They were already healing over. Soon, there would be no trace that it had ever happened. Thank God.

“Don't be sorry,” Levi said, then coughed. His voice sounded gravelly and rough. Not like him at all. “I didn’t give you much of a choice.”

“Why did you do it?” Eren asked. He looked more scared of Levi than ever. Levi thought it should be the other way around.

“The curse,” Levi said. Anyone who called it a blessing was lying to themselves. “We have to do _everything in our power_ to keep each other alive.”

Eren licked his bloody lips. The inky blackness of his eyes had drained away and his fangs retracted. He lifted his shirt. Levi watched Eren’s wound heal before his eyes. If his gaze lingered on the lean line of defined muscle, he blamed the blood-loss.

“You saved my life.” Eren said.

Levi groaned and pushed himself up onto his elbows. His head was spinning. “Yes, I suppose I did.”


	3. Chapter 3

They rummaged through Mr Arlert’s wardrobe to replace their bloody clothes. Levi ended up wearing brown slacks and a red and blue flannel shirt. He felt like a farmer. Eren didn’t fare much better with black business pants and a stretched band shirt which had clearly been a sleep shirt for many years.

They called the cleaners; a group who dealt with inexplicable events and made it more explicable for human eyes, and then bolted.

They drove to a nearby motel; Eren in his hearse and Levi on his bike, and ordered a room. Levi wanted two rooms, but they were already booked. At least they had separate beds, Levi thought glumly as he dumped his things and began scanning the room for cleaning supplies. He couldn’t shower until the place was spotless.

“Levi, we should talk,” Eren said as he shut the windows and curtains to block out the sun. It was midday and the heat, as well as his near-death experience, were taking their toll on his strength.

“I’d rather not,” Levi said. Eren had been suspiciously quiet since the incident. Which was fine. Levi wanted to pretend it had never happened. It would only complicate things when their mission was complete and one of them would have to kill the other.

“Listen,” Eren breathed and his tone changed. He sounded like a father about to give his son the sex talk. “For a vampire, drinking blood is like… drinking a milkshake.”

“Am I the milkshake in this analogy?” Levi asked, his arms crossed over his chest. They stood at the foot of the two single beds and on opposite sides of a small wooden table. A small chest of drawers was perched against the wall to their right.

Eren ignored him. “We have to drink to survive. But for… ah… the blood donors…”

“Your victims,” Levi offered.

Again, Eren ignored him. “For them, it feels different. It feels… good.”

Levi cringed. He didn’t like where this conversation was heading.

“And, sometimes, people get addicted to having a specific vampire drink from them. It’s called imprinting.”

Levi had heard enough. He slammed his hands on the small square table which separated them. “Please, shut up.” 

“I’m just saying that whatever you felt while I was… ah… you know… is normal.”

“Do you give this speech to all your victims?” Levi hissed through his teeth. The thought of Eren drinking from others made him irrationally angry.

“I don’t usually have to,” Eren said.

“Because you kill them?” Levi asked.

“No, because I drink from animals,” Eren sounded more than a little offended.

“Oh,” Levi said. “Well, good.”

Eren gave a crooked smile, then collapsed onto his single bed. “It’s late. I need some sleep.”

Levi rolled his eyes. It was the middle of the day.

“Too bad. Once we clean up we’re going to Armin’s workplace,” Levi said.

Eren groaned and flopped around on the bed. “I don’t think you understand how hard it is for my kind to be out during the day.”

“Like I care.”

“You should.” Eren sat up. “I’m already weak after being stabbed by _your_ knives, which you should have kept away from the angry teenage spirit by the way. If you keep pushing me I could lose control. I could hurt someone.”

Levi ground his teeth. “We can’t do our investigating at night. You’re just going to have to deal with it.”

Levi blinked and suddenly Eren was right in front of him. His green eyes were black and his fangs snapped out. Levi stumbled and his back hit the wall.

“I’m not going to hurt an innocent because some asshole angel doesn’t listen when I say I need to rest,” Eren growled, towering over Levi.

Levi, who disliked being cornered on a good day, reacted the only way he knew how. He punched Eren in the face.

The blow was a surprise to Eren, but it wasn’t enough to slow the vampire down. Levi barely took three steps towards the door before Eren was on him again. Eren threw Levi face down on the nearest bed and pinned him with his knee in the centre of his spine.

All Levi had to do to escape was bring his wings into their plane of reality and he’d throw the vampire off, but he didn’t want to do that. The thought of having his wings out in the presence of Grisha Yeager’s son made his stomach roil. He submitted.

“I’m not going to wait around while Armin is out possessing some poor bastard,” Levi grumbled into the mattress. “So, what’s the alternative?”

Eren’s grip on Levi loosened and his weight left Levi’s back. Levi turned over and faced the vampire. Eren was on all fours above him, his knees on either side of Levi’s hips and his hands beside Levi’s head.

“Do we split up? I can investigate during the day, and you at night.” Levi suggested. He didn’t enjoy having Eren hover over him, but from the dangerous glint in the vampire's eye he guessed now was not the time to comment.

Eren shook his head. “No. You’d get the soul and take it to Heaven while I was sleeping – and probably kill me while you were at it.”

Levi nodded. He wasn’t wrong. “What do we do then?”

Eren licked his lips. He looked like the apex predator that he was, and a thrill ran down Levi’s spine. It was refreshing to deal with a creature that was as strong as he was, if not stronger, while not being a threat to his life. At least, not until they captured Armin’s soul.

“Blood,” Eren whispered. “If you let me drink from you again, I can go out and won’t lose control but… The more I drink, the more likely it is you’ll imprint.”

Imprinting was not something Levi was willing to submit himself to. He’d rather die than be vulnerable to this vampire brat. But, the chances of imprinting after one day were slim. Usually, it took many weeks, if not months.

“We’ll only be working together another day at most," Levi said. "Once we have Armin, either you’ll kill me or I’ll kill you. Imprinting is the least of our problems.”

Eren tilted his head.

Levi’s heart pounded. He remembered the high he’d felt while Eren drank from his wrist. Would it be the same this time? Better? He cursed himself. He didn’t want this. This was an abhorrent act he was about to commit.

“Where should I… bite?” Eren asked.

Levi rolled his eyes. “I don’t know. You’re the vampire.”

“Right.” Eren laughed nervously.

A smile grew on Eren's handsome face as he leaned over Levi. He cupped the back of Levi’s neck with his right hand and slid down. For a moment, Levi thought Eren was going to kiss him. He was stunned that the thought didn’t fill him with disgust. But Eren didn't kiss him. Instead, he settled his weight half against Levi’s chest and positioned his head so that his neck was exposed.

Levi felt Eren’s warm breath pant against his skin. His traitorous body sparked with excitement. When Eren’s fangs ran along the sensitive skin at Levi’s collarbone, the angel’s breath caught in his throat.

“Ready?” Eren asked. He sounded hungry.

Levi nodded, then gasped when Eren’s fangs pierced his neck. He bit his lip to mask the sound, only for blissful euphoria to overcome his senses.

Levi’s body went limp and his eyes fluttered closed. Lights danced across his vision as he floated in the weightless environment of the high. Eren’s lips against his throat were the only thing which kept him tethered to earth. Each pull brought Levi higher and higher. He felt like he was close to something, a peak of pleasure he could only imagine.

Levi’s hands snaked around Eren’s back and his fingernails dug into the vampire’s broad shoulders. Levi’s back arched and his lips parted on a silent moan. The intensity tripled when Eren’s knee pressed between Levi’s legs and brushed his…

“Stop!” Levi shoved Eren with all the strength he could muster and rolled out from beneath the vampire. His knees gave out, and he caught himself against the far wall. His breath came in loud gasps as he tried to control his racing heart. When he glanced at Eren, the vampire appeared to be in a similar dishevelled state.

“Did you get enough?” Levi asked. A small part of him hoped Eren would say no.

Eren nodded, eyes wide.

“Good,” Levi swallowed around his dry throat. “I’m going to shower. Be ready to leave in twenty minutes.”

Levi rushed into the bathroom and slammed the door behind him. He hoped they captured Armin soon because he didn’t trust himself to push Eren away next time.


	4. Chapter 4

The motorbike ride to Armin’s workplace wasn’t enough to calm Levi’s edginess. He felt like he was walking on shards of glass and every few steps a bolt of pleasure like lightning rushed through his system. _Was this normal_? He refused to ask Eren, the humiliation would be unbearable.

To his credit, Eren didn’t mention the moment they’d shared in the motel room. He was perfectly silent, barely looking at Levi as they approached the creatively named Greenville Diner. They were greeted at the door by a smiling girl with short red hair to Eren’s relief. Getting permission to enter public spaces was a minefield for vampires.

Levi asked the redhead if they could speak with the manager. She said the manager would be available in twenty minutes and they could sit down for a meal in the meantime. It took everything in Levi’s power not to look at Eren in that moment. The vampire had already had his meal. The girl sat them at a quiet booth in the corner and handed them a couple of menus before she disappeared to tend to her tables.

Levi glanced at the menu merely as a formality. Angels didn’t need to eat, but it was a pleasant thing to partake in on occasion. Human food was fascinating. He had a particular affinity with the cheeseburger. When the waitress came back Levi ordered a cheeseburger and a vanilla milkshake. Eren ordered a Coke.

They sat in awkward silence for all of five minutes before Eren snapped.

“I can’t handle this,” Eren said.

“The diner?” Levi arched an eyebrow.

“The silence!” Eren cried. “I hate it. Please, say something. Anything.”

Levi cleared his throat. “I was enjoying the silence.”

“Don’t be difficult, feathers,” 

Levi bit his lip. “You have to stop calling me that.”

“Why? I don’t know your last name.” Eren said.

“I don’t have a last name.”

Eren leaned forward in his chair and slurped at his Coke. “Angels don’t have last names?”

“Some do. I don’t.” Levi sighed and took pity on the brat. “Do you know how angels are made?”

Eren shook his head.

“Angels are human souls which have reached maturity in Heaven,” Levi said.

“So, you used to be a human?” Eren said.

Levi nodded. “A long time ago. Some angels remember their time as humans, others don’t. I remember a name, Levi, and that’s all.”

That was a lie. Levi remembered one other thing besides his name. He remembered dying of starvation as a child beside his mother’s corpse. His soul had been too young to be tainted and he was granted immediate access to Heaven. His memory of that dark, dirty place was the main reason he wanted to leave Earth. The filth here was a reminder of a time he would rather forget.

“Neat,” Eren said. “Do you know how vampires are made?”

Levi nodded. “You have to be turned by another vampire.”

“Not always,” Eren grinned. “Some of us are born.”

Levi bit into his cheeseburger and made a sound of disgust. “You mean Grisha really is your father, not just your sire?”

Eren nodded proudly. “He’s training me to start a new nest. If I complete this mission I will have proven to him that I can be trusted.”

Levi wasn’t enjoying his food anymore. “You’re going to make more vampires?”

“I’m going to save people,” Eren said, his green eyes glowing with pride. “Good people with terminal illnesses.”

“Don’t you think sometimes people should just die?” 

“You wouldn’t say that if you’d ever lost someone,” Eren dismissed him.

Levi thought of his mother’s rotting corpse. He thought of someone like Eren coming along and bringing her back to life, only to turn her into a bloodsucking monster. That would never be mercy.

“Who did you lose?” Levi asked. He wanted to change the subject before he felt compelled to stake Eren through the heart. He should have known better than to ask such a personal question.

“Mikasa,” Eren said. “She was a human. Dad brought her into the nest as a feeder and we became friends. He told me not to get attached, but she made me laugh and she was kind to me. A freshly turned vampire killed her because he didn’t know when to stop.”

Levi regretted asking the question. Eren was becoming more of a foreign monster with every word. “Why didn’t you turn her?”

“I tried. It didn’t work. I was too young.” Eren said. “I stopped drinking from humans after that. I don’t want to accidentally kill someone.”

Levi didn’t know what to say. He couldn’t help but feel repulsed with Eren’s childhood and species as a whole. The thought of a kid in an environment like that was horrifying. Yet, Eren’s desire not to kill humans was altruistic. He was nothing like his father. Grisha wouldn’t have any problem killing every human in this diner if it would benefit him. Or perhaps just for fun.

“What about your mother?” Levi asked.

A dark look came over Eren’s features. Levi was not doing a good job of keeping the peace today. “She was murdered by an angel.”

Luckily, the manager of the diner chose that moment to join them. She was a smiling blonde with big blue eyes and a round face. She could be Armin’s sister if Levi didn’t already know that Armin didn’t have any siblings.

“I’m Christa Lens, the manager here. How can I help you, gentlemen?”

“We’re investigating the murder of Armin Arlert,” Levi said, grateful to be off the topic of vampires and killer angels.

Christa was a nice woman with a kind, patient smile. She told them that Armin was the best cook they had and he would be missed. She didn’t provide any substantial clues which would indicate where Armin's soul was hiding until she mentioned his girlfriend.

“Annie Leonhardt. They met at church. They volunteered to feed the homeless on Saturdays together.” Christa explained. “I think I have the church's contact details if you’ll follow me.”

Levi and Eren abandoned their table and took chase. Finally, a lead!

Christa took them through the kitchen, which was humid and full of delicious smells, and into her office at the back. She ushered Levi and Eren inside then closed the door behind her. It was a plain room with a computer on a wooden desk and a few bookcases beside a nice wide window which opened up to the carpark. She flicked through a notebook and pulled out a blue post-it note.

When Levi reached for it she pulled it back. Something flickered in her eyes.

“How’d you do it?” She asked. The tone and cadence of her voice was all wrong.

Levi frowned. A sense of foreboding shivered down his spine. “Do what?”

She leaned forward and bared her teeth. “How’d you save your friend after I stabbed him in the guts?”

Levi had a split second to react. He ducked as Christa/Armin whirled on him with a heavy porcelain vase but he was too slow. She smashed it over his right shoulder. He grunted in pain. He'd felt the blow in his physical body as well as his angelic one. He crumbled to his knees. _What was happening?_ How had Armin managed to injure his angelic form? Spirits shouldn’t be that powerful.

Levi rolled out of the way of another attack as Eren leapt to the rescue. He tried to pin Christa/Armin’s arms behind her back but she slipped free and kicked Eren between the knees. He doubled over. His attack was enough to give Levi an opening.

There was a crash like thunder and a flash as bright as lightning as Levi dragged his angelic form into the physical plane. His wings filled the room and a silver aura surrounded him. In this state, he could see souls as clearly as any living person.

He saw Eren’s bright soul cowering in the corner. It took him a moment to realise that he wasn’t terrified of Christa/Armin, but of him.

Levi looked at Christa. Her youthful, sparky soul was tethered by a black and red mass like a cancer. Armin.

Levi grimaced. He’d never seen such an ugly soul. He didn’t want to touch it, but he had to if he was going to capture it.

He lunged as Christa/Armin swung her fist. He thought she was aiming for his body. He was taken aback when she twisted and lashed out instead as his right wing. Levi had a split second to decide if he was going to grab Armin’s soul or defend himself. In that second, Armin released Christa and raced as a string of lights out the window and into the carpark. Unfortunately, Christa’s momentum kept her moving. There was a loud snap as her leg collided with Levi’s right wing.

Levi cried out and fell to his knees as he forced his injured wings back into the angelic plane. They were safer there, but it did nothing to lessen the pain. The world seemed far away as he channelled his energy away from the agony. It was overwhelming. He remembered flashes of the time Grisha had ripped out his feathers one by one. This certainly wasn’t the worst he’d experienced, but it was in the top ten.

His hands were shaking where they gripped the edge of the desk. Christa was unconscious and would remain that way for a while. When she woke up, she wouldn’t remember anything. That was probably for the best. Most humans didn’t react well when they saw strangers grow wings before their eyes.

“Levi,” Eren grabbed his elbow to steady him. Levi remembered the terror he’d seen in Eren’s soul and felt faintly sick. “Are you okay?”

Levi shook Eren’s hand away. He ground his teeth until his jaw ached. The pain was familiar. He could live with this. “I’m fine.”

“It looked like she hurt your wings.”

“I’m fine,” Levi repeated. “We need to find Annie Leonhardt. Perhaps she knows why Armin is so powerful.”

Eren bent down and plucked the blue post-it note from beside Christa’s hand. “It’s the address of the church they volunteered at.”

“Let’s start there,” Levi said.


	5. Chapter 5

Eren shuffled awkwardly as they approached the church from the road. About two metres from the door, he stopped as if he’d hit a wall.

“Damn,” He muttered under his breath.

Levi looked over his shoulder at the vampire. His wings were throbbing and his angelic healing was taking its sweet time to kick in. He desperately wanted to go back to the motel so he could heal properly but Eren only had so many daylight hours left and they couldn’t waste them.

“What’s the hold-up?”

“I can’t step on holy ground,” Eren kicked the dirt.

Levi bit his lip to hide his grin. “Seriously?”

“Don’t mock me, feathers. You’ll have to do this one on your own.” Eren growled.

Levi could understand his frustration. If he succeeded in capturing Armin’s soul while inside the church Eren would be at a major disadvantage. Levi could deliver the soul to Heaven and Eren would be no threat. Then, Levi could return to Earth when he was stronger and Eren would be killed as swiftly as stepping on an ant.

Surprisingly, the thought of killing the vampire no longer brought Levi joy. He entered the church and breathed the familiar scent of wooden pews and incense. It was the middle of the week so only a few believers were scattered inside. The altar was draped in purple cloth and a priest who looked to be in his mid-thirties was cleaning in the isles.

Levi wondered how this holy man would react if Levi were to tell him that he was an angel. Now was not the time for jokes or miracles.

“Father, I’d like to speak with you if you have a moment?” Levi asked.

The father barely looked up. “I’m busy, son.”

“It’s about the murder of Armin Arlert.”

The priest straightened and his expression became solemn. “That poor boy had such potential. His soul is with God now.”

Levi wanted to argue. If Armin's soul was with God then Levi wouldn’t be here with his vampire sidekick waiting outside. “Father, I’m looking for a friend of his; Annie Leonhardt.”

The priest nodded. “They volunteered here on Saturdays. Went to the local high school together too.”

“Do you have her home address?” Levi asked. “I would like to speak with her and her family.”

“You didn’t answer my question,” The priest said.

Levi blinked. Had he missed something? “What question?”

The priest grinned. Levi recognised the violent glint in his eyes. It was becoming all too familiar.

“How did you save your friend? He should have died.” Armin growled. 

“Armin, I’m trying to help you,” Levi raised his arms. His wings twitched fearfully even though they were safely tucked away in the angelic plane. Another blow would be devastating.

“You’re an angel. The wings gave you away.” Armin tilted his head dramatically. “But your friend is different. What is he?”

“We should talk somewhere private,” Levi whispered, his eyes scanning the innocent faces of the believers in the church. “I can help you move on.”

“I don’t want to move on!” Armin hissed. Candles flickered and went out as a powerful gust of wind rushed through the church. A woman in a flowery dress pulled on her jumper and scampered towards the exit. “I want revenge.”

“Revenge is corrupting your soul,” Levi said. He’d seen cases where a vengeful spirit remained on Earth for decades seeking retribution, but they never became as warped as Armin. Something terrible had happened to him. “Let me help you.”

“No!” The priest’s voice echoed in the old stone church. His eyes rolled in his head. The remaining patrons left in a hurry. Humans could often sense danger, but whether they acted on their gut feeling was down to intuition. All the people in this church were highly intuitive.

“I don’t need your help. I’ll come to you on my own terms once I’ve found who killed me.” Armin said.

“You don’t know?” Levi said, surprised. 

According to Erwin’s report, Armin’s body had been dumped in a field fifty kilometres outside of Greenville. There were no significant injuries or trauma. The only evidence of foul play was a series of needle puncture wounds in the crease of his forearm. The autopsy showed no sign of drugs or unusual substances, but he’d clearly been injected with something.

“They had me blindfolded,” Armin said. “All I can remember is the pain. It was like my blood was on fire.”

Levi cringed. What had his killer, that sick individual, done to this bright, intelligent boy? Fury bubbled in his gut. Levi had to remind himself that revenge wasn’t his mission. He was just the collector of souls.

“Armin, come with me and I'll help you find your killer.” Levi lied. Angels weren't supposed to lie, but Levi took certain liberties for the sake of efficiency. 

Once again, Armin turned hostile. “I don’t need your help!”

The priest ripped the cloth off the altar and heavy metal ornaments went flying. Most missed Levi by a wide margin, but one clipped him on the side of the head. A lucky shot which dazed him long enough for Armin to grab a heavy metal incense diffuser and slam it against the side of Levi’s face.

Blood burst from a slice above his eyebrow and he dropped to the cool wooden floor. His wings throbbed, jolting in the angelic plane as he fell. He bit his lip to keep from crying out. This was bad. He was too weak to fight and he didn’t even have backup. Eren was trapped outside.

Armin loomed over Levi. “Poor little broken angel.”

“Fuck off,” Levi grunted and tried to shuffle away. To his astonishment and dismay, Armin placed his heavy boot down and pinned Levi’s left wing to the cold church floor.

That was impossible.

Somehow, Armin had reached into the angelic plane. Levi remembered how Armin had seemed to deal blows to his wings before. Now, it was confirmed. This kid was unbelievably powerful if he could not only see but reach through the physical plane into the angelic one.

Suddenly, it made perfect sense why both Heaven and Hell would want to claim Armin's angry, broken soul. They wanted to study his power and use it as a weapon. In the neverending war between Heaven and Hell, any advantage was highly sought.

Levi’s stomach clenched. He groaned as Armin put more weight on his wing.

“No, don’t...” Levi swallowed. Armin wouldn’t listen to his pleas of mercy. He was too far gone. Levi's hands clawed against the floorboards as pain radiated up his spine. “What do you want?”

“I want the truth. Angels are real. What about demons?” Armin asked, his eyes glowing with curiosity. Apparently, his desire to learn hadn’t faded in death.

"If you come with me I can tell you everything," Levi growled through clenched teeth. His eyes watered as Armin's boot brushed against a patch of thin, broken feathers.

Angels were forbidden to share the secrets of Heaven or Hell with humans or spirits confined to Earth. If word got out, society would crumble. The punishment for telling mortals the truth was severe. 

A broken shout burst past Levi's lips and his back arched as Armin slammed his boot into Levi's wing with enough force to rip muscle and break bone. There was a distinct pop and snap before hot agony raced through Levi's body. The pain he had suffered in his wings prior to this moment paled in comparison. 

"Tell me." 

"I..." Levi's vision blurred. "I can't." 

Levi wished he could leave. Earth was a place of darkness and suffering. All he wanted was to spend eternity working in Heaven. Was that too much to ask? After centuries of loyal service, hadn't he earned a slice of peace? As he clung to that dream, Armin's boot came down a third time.

"Tell me!"

Levi choked on bile. His entire world narrowed to the span of his wings as Armin continued to stomp and shatter. When it became too much, he told Armin everything.

***

When Levi stumbled out of the church he could barely walk in a straight line. Armin had left him with a parting gift; two swift kicks to his already broken right wing, before he vacated the priest’s body and disappeared. Agony radiated down his back and through his body. He wasn’t even sure if his wings were in the physical or angelic plane anymore, such was the enormity of his pain.

Eren was waiting for him outside the church. Well, waiting was a generous term. He was flirting with a pretty young nun to pass the time. If she knew that Eren was actually the spawn of Hell, she’d run in the opposite direction.

Levi thought that he too should run from Eren. Instead, he stumbled towards him. He had no-one else to rely on.

“Hey, feathers,” Eren smiled and turned. The smile froze when he saw the look on Levi’s face. “Sorry, Betty. I have to go. My friend isn’t feeling well.”

Eren dragged Levi into the passenger side of his hummer. Levi was too weak to put up much of a fight.

“My bike,” Levi choked.

“You can pick it up tomorrow,” Eren said as he turned the key. They tore towards the motel. Levi’s bruised body jostled with every turn.

“Did Armin do this to you?” Eren asked.

Levi nodded. “He wanted information about Heaven and Hell.”

“Did you tell him?”

Levi hesitated before answering. “Yes.”

“Shit,” Eren sighed as they pulled up at the motel. “What’s the punishment for revealing state secrets in Heaven?”

“What is it for Hell?” Levi asked, avoiding the answer.

“Execution,” Eren said.

Levi’s fists clenched on his knees. Maybe Heaven and Hell weren’t so different after all. 


	6. Chapter 6

Eren helped Levi into the motel room and lowered him face down on the closest bed. Levi’s body trembled with the effort of suppressing his agonised cries.

“How can I help you?” Eren asked. 

Levi just shook his head.

Eren wasn't sure if it was the curse or his innate desire to heal people which made him ignore Levi’s protest and grab the first aid kit from the bathroom to patch up the scratch on his eyebrow. He had just coated the wound with antiseptic when it healed before his eyes.

“What the…” Eren ran his hands over Levi’s arms and legs looking for injuries but found none. “Where are you hurt?”

“Not in the physical plane,” Levi mumbled. He barely realised he was speaking. Pain radiated through him in waves. 

“Your wings?” Eren hesitated. “Well, bring them out. I might be able to help.”

Levi cringed. The last time he had his wings out around a vampire Grisha had plucked his feathers and laughed at his pain. Would his son do the same? It wouldn’t be against the rules of the curse. As long as neither of them died, they could torture each other to their heart's content.

Levi swallowed. “No.”

“Stubborn bastard. I’m not going to hurt you.” Eren grabbed Levi’s face in his hands. Eren’s bright green eyes seemed to take up all of Levi’s vision. “You can trust me.”

How could Levi trust someone who was going to kill him after their mission was complete?

“Levi, please. Let me help you. You saved my life, remember? I owe you.” Eren begged. His green eyes glistened.

Levi didn’t know what to do. He wanted to believe that someone could take this unbearable pain away. He wanted to trust someone, but Eren was the only person in the vicinity. He hoped he wasn’t making a terrible mistake.

Levi’s wings unfurled slowly. 

Eren stepped back and watched as they appeared in the physical realm, his eyes wide. They hung on either side of the bed and rested on the floor. The total wingspan took up the whole room. They were beautiful, speckled black and gold with the rare white or silver feather. Armin had severely damaged them. A rage burned in his chest.

Eren made his way to the top of the bed so he was kneeling above Levi’s head and looking down at the wings. They were massive. The left wing was mostly untouched. The feathers were crooked, but nothing appeared to be broken. The right wing, however, was swollen and bloody with large sections of missing feathers and obvious breaks where cartilage had been ripped free.

“Oh, Levi,” Eren placed his hands on the man’s shoulders.

Levi tensed. His eyes were clenched shut and his jaw was locked.

“It’s okay,” Eren said. “I’ll make it better.”

Eren’s fangs snapped out. He bit into the flesh of his palm. Blood pooled there, but the self-inflicted wound healed quickly. Eren reached for the nearest wing fracture and smeared a few dots of blood on the wound.

Vampire blood had healing properties for humans, but only for minor wounds. He had no idea if it would work on angels.

Eren watched the blood soak into the dark tuft of feathers. He held his breath, waiting for some sign that Levi’s pain had eased. They both yelped when the fractured bone snapped back into position with a loud pop. Levi shot up on the bed, grabbed Eren’s shoulders, and started shaking him. His wings hung limply behind him. 

“What did you do?” He cried. Relief mingled with disbelief was etched on his strained features.

“Vampire blood has healing properties,” Eren said dumbly.

Levi collapsed back on the bed.

“Please,” Levi whispered. “Fix them.”

***

It took two hours for Eren to mend the fractures, and another thirty minutes to stitch up the lacerations. By the time the sun was setting, Levi was sitting up in bed with his wings spread inspecting Eren’s handiwork. He couldn’t believe it. His wings were in better condition now than before his original posting to Earth three centuries ago. Who knew all he needed to fix them was a little vampire blood?

It had been centuries since Levi had lived free of pain. It was a weight which had threatened to drag him under his whole afterlife, and now it was gone. He felt like laughing, or crying, or both.

“Eren,” Levi struggled to find words to adequately describe his gratitude. Nothing came to mind. “I owe you.”

“Don’t mention it,” Eren said with a slight shrug. He sat behind Levi and ran his fingers through the coarse feathers. He couldn’t seem to stop touching them. “You saved my life. It was the least I could do.”

Levi didn’t see things so simply. He’d only saved Eren’s life because of the curse. Eren didn’t have to help Levi - his damaged wings hadn't been life-threatening - but he had. Levi didn’t know how to repay the vampire he was supposed to murder at the end of the mission.

His stomach curled itself in knots and he started to drag his wings back into the angelic plane.

“Wait!” Eren cried. Levi jumped. “Could you leave them out?” Eren blushed, his fingers hovering in the empty air.

“Why?”

“I think they’re beautiful.”

Levi was horrified when his face went hot. Was he blushing? No. Stop it, he cursed his traitorous body. Eren didn’t know what he was saying. He didn’t understand that he had offered the greatest compliment one could give an angel.

Levi scowled and brought his dappled brown and gold wings back to reality.

A content smile grew on Eren’s face as he leaned back to study the appendages with an air of pride. Eren liked helping people, despite his status as a bloodsucking cretin of the night. That was why he wanted to create his own nest from terminal humans. He believed that everyone deserved to live a full life. His mind wandered to Mikasa and her youthful, smiling face.

“How come your clothes don’t fly off when you bring your wings out?” Eren asked.

Levi ground his teeth. He’d been waiting for this; the childish barrage of questions which inevitably followed the reveal of his wings. It reminded him of Armin’s painful interrogation. Except, these questions came from Eren’s smiling face. 

“Magic,” Levi replied dryly, too tired to go into the physics of pocket universes.

“Why are the feathers all different colours?” Eren asked as he straightened a soft white feather near the base of the left wing. A shiver ran up Levi’s spine.  

“They change colour depending on the state of my soul,” Levi said. “The feathers get darker every time I’m injured.”

Eren’s smile dimmed and he leaned forward. Levi could feel the heat from his body through his wings. “You’ve been injured a lot.”

Levi pretended not to hear that particular comment. He didn’t want to talk about the fact that his wings had essentially been broken for three centuries. He could barely process that they were fixed now. He kept flexing the joints, expecting a twinge of pain but instead felt nothing but free movement.

“What is it like to fly?” Eren asked. The feathers were all back where they belonged now, but Eren continued stroking the wings aimlessly. They were so soft.

Levi’s eyes fluttered closed. His body relaxed under Eren’s gentle caresses. Unable to fight the urge, he shifted their position so he was lying face down on the mattress. He couldn’t remember ever feeling so relaxed.

“Amazing,” Levi sighed into the pillows. He tensed when the bed shifted under Eren’s weight. “The best feeling in the world.”

Eren smiled. He had moved so he was straddling Levi’s hips. He ran his hands over the delicate feathers. Something about the angel surrendering to his touch was making Eren hot all over.

“But you can only fly in emergencies or to get to Heaven. It seems cruel to limit you like that.”

Levi had to agree, but rules were rules. Now that Levi had broken one of the most sacred rules of Heaven by telling Armin about the afterlife, rules like ‘only fly in emergencies’ seemed petty. If he was to be sentenced to execution, which was highly likely as angels couldn't lie to archangels, then he might as well enjoy the time he had left. 

“Is that why you like your Harley so much?” Eren said, almost talking to himself at this stage. Levi was practically purring under his touch. “Because you feel free, like when you’re flying?”

Levi blinked. Nobody had made that observation before. He guessed he’d never let anyone close enough to see it.

“Yes,” Levi glanced over his shoulder at the vampire. Eren’s green eyes were piercing in the dimly lit room. What kind of man was Eren Yeager? Levi couldn’t quite figure him out. Both violent and bloody, generous and kind.

“Levi?”

“Hmm.”

“Does it feel good when I touch your wings?”

Levi made an affirmative noise and closed his eyes. Then, something shifted. Eren’s hands stopped their careful exploration and became more daring. His fingers dug deeper into the thick plumage and his strokes became longer and harder. Heat coiled in Levi’s belly and he swallowed a gasp.

_What was that?_

Eren’s strokes started at the top of his wings and flowed to the tip of his feathers. Levi’s heart raced and his relaxed body became taut and hot. When Eren’s hands dipped deeply into his feathers, Levi’s fingers tangled in the bed linen. 

He didn’t ask Eren to stop. It was a strange new feeling, but not an unwelcome one. He wanted to feel more, but as it grew in intensity he began to wonder where it would end. How much more could he take? Everything was getting hotter and tighter and he felt like he was going to explode. He didn’t realise he was rocking his hips against the mattress until Eren rested his weight down on Levi’s thighs. Levi stopped lest he be discovered rutting like a horny human teenager. The inactivity was maddening.

“Is this okay?” Eren asked. He sounded casual. Unaffected. Did Eren realise what he was doing?

Levi nodded, not trusting his voice, and allowed Eren to continue his exploration.

Levi didn’t think it could get any better until Eren’s hands slid beneath his wings and stroked the soft feathers at the front. Levi couldn’t muffle the desperate sound which burst from his throat.

Eren froze, suddenly aware of how worked up Levi was. “Are you okay?”

Levi was panting and his fingers ached from gripping the linin so tightly. He was trapped on a dangerous cliff and he didn’t know whether to turn back to safety or willingly fall over the edge.

“You should stop,” Levi gasped. Eren’s hands left Levi’s wings. He didn’t want Eren to stop, but this had gone far enough.

“Did I hurt you?” Eren asked. Levi buried his face in the pillows to hide his deep blush.

“No, I’m just tired,” Levi said.

Eren shifted his weight on Levi’s legs but didn’t get off. “Angels don’t sleep.”

“Eren, get off me,” Levi growled. If he didn’t move soon the last of Levi’s willpower would drain away. He’d be begging for Eren’s hands.

Eren didn’t move. “If you really want me to stop I will, but I’d like to keep going.”

Levi’s eyes widened. He looked over his shoulder at Eren’s flushed face, caught the heated look in his dark green eyes, and his inhibitions vanished. Levi gave a little nod of ascent and Eren dove into action.

Levi wasn’t sure if Eren realised the extent of the intimacy they were sharing. He wasn’t even sure if Eren knew how unbelievably GOOD it felt to have his hands running through his feathers, but Levi wasn’t complaining.

Soft gasps passed Levi’s lips with every deep stroke of Eren’s hands. His toes curled and his hips gave little thrusts against the mattress despite Eren’s weight on his legs. He couldn’t help himself. The friction was too delicious to deny.

When Eren’s hands returned to the soft feathers at the front of his wings, Levi saw white and he swallowed a desperate whine. That kind of sound was far too humiliating, but Eren almost dragged it out of him again when he tugged lightly on the sensitive feathers.

“You like this don’t you?” Eren ran his hands along the front of Levi’s wings. “It feels good when I touch you here?”

Levi nodded. His jaw was clenched so tightly that his teeth ached.

“Turn over,” Eren whispered into Levi’s ear.

Levi couldn’t muffle his moan when Eren kissed the spot on his neck where he had drunk from earlier that day.

“N… no,” Levi managed. He’d be too vulnerable if he turned over. Not only would his most sensitive feathers be freely available to Eren’s questing hands, but his erection, which he could no longer deny, would be obvious.

“Have it your way then,” Eren shrugged, nonplussed by Levi’s denial.

Levi relaxed, thinking Eren had given up. He was unprepared when Eren shifted his position so that he was plastered against Levi’s back.

Eren’s hands gripped Levi’s wings, his head tucked into the crease of Levi’s shoulder blades and his chest lay along his back and wings. Most notably, Eren’s erection pressed against Levi’s ass through his jeans.

Levi held his breath.

Eren rocked his hips. The move enhanced the friction of Levi thrusting into the mattress and a desperate moan broke past his lips. He scrambled for something to hold onto but found only the flimsy wooden headboard of the rickety single bed.

Levi sounded desperate, but he was too far gone to feel ashamed. He needed more, but he was in no position to make demands. Eren had all the power with his body pressed against Levi’s back and his hands on Levi’s wings.

Eren rocked his hips again, and Levi heard the vampire’s breath hitch. His caresses became faster to match the pace of his thrusts. With every touch, Levi felt like he might explode. But every time he felt close to that unconquered peak, Eren slowed the pace. It was maddening.

Levi regretted not turning over to face Eren when he had the chance. He wanted Eren’s hands on his most sensitive feathers. He wanted to see Eren’s face and watch the pleasure build in his enchanting green eyes.

Unable to stand it anymore, Levi attempted to roll over. Eren pushed him down.

“No,” Eren’s voice was low and gravelly in Levi’s ear. “You said you weren’t going to turn over.”

Levi was panting. Actually panting. He’d never felt like this before. “Eren.”

The moment Levi spoke his name, the vampire seemed to lose control. His once measured caresses and patient thrusts became harder, faster, unpredictable, and it drove Levi wild.

The peak approached at a dangerous pace and this time Eren didn’t slow down. Levi gasped and his back arched. He was held on the teetering edge. When he felt the sharp brush of Eren’s teeth against his neck, he cried out.

Levi trembled through his first orgasm.

Eren held him close, delighted by their proximity, and ignored the painful throb of his untouched erection. This wasn’t about him, it was about Levi. He knew the angel would never admit that it was his first time dabbling in the profane, perhaps sinful art of pleasure, but Eren knew nonetheless.

“How do you feel?” Eren whispered. Levi made a quiet humming noise. His eyes were closed and his lips curved in the slightest of smiles. If Eren didn’t know better, he’d think the angel was asleep.

Eren carefully extracted himself from Levi’s back, leaving the angel in his post-coital haze, and locked himself in the bathroom. He didn’t expect Levi to reciprocate, but that didn’t mean Eren couldn’t take care of himself. He stood at the basin in front of the mirror and unzipped his jeans. His erection throbbed.

He ran his thumb over the pearly liquid at the tip and bit his lip as he finally got the friction he needed. With his eyes trained on his reflection, Eren remembered the desperate sounds Levi made, the feel of his muscular body rolling under his and the soft brush of his feathers against his face.

He came embarrassingly fast.

He was still catching his breath when his phone buzzed in his pocket. He was prepared to ignore it when an additional message came through in quick succession. A scowl darkened his features as he unlocked the screen.

His stomach turned when he saw that the messages were from his father. What would Grisha have to say about what had just transpired between the angel and the vampire?

As Eren read the messages, that sick feeling only grew in intensity.

_I’m outside your motel._

_We need to talk._


	7. Chapter 7

The next morning wasn’t as awkward as Levi expected.

Eren had fled the motel room shortly after emerging from the bathroom. He muttered something about needing some space, and Levi couldn’t find the energy to argue. Alone, Levi sighed into the mattress and took stock of his body and the blissful glow of his soul. He felt good.

When he finally summoned the energy to shower he ended up staring at his reflection for all of ten minutes. Squinting at it like something should have changed. He still looked like the grumpy old bastard that he was. The only real difference was in his wings.

Healed, his wings took his breath away. He was hesitant to push them back into the angelic plane, but trying to shower with them flopping around would have been almost impossible.

When Eren didn’t return after an hour, Levi decided that he too needed some air. Quite literally.

For the first time in three centuries, Levi unfurled his wings and flew purely for his own pleasure. It took a moment to get the hang of it again, but once he was up and floating above the town it came flooding back to him. It was like riding a bicycle.

He didn’t realise how long he had been out, lost in the self-indulgent sensation of the air rippling past his body. The sky glowed orange as the sun rose when Levi returned to the motel room to find Eren waiting for him.

The vampire's face was drawn and dark bags hung under his eyes. He clearly hadn't slept. Despite his exhaustion, Eren took one look at Levi and burst out laughing.

“You look like you’ve been caught in a tornado,” Eren laughed. “Been flying have we?”

Levi scowled and ran his fingers through his wild, windswept hair. “I had to do something while you were lurking the streets.”

“Yeah, sorry about that. I got hungry.” Eren shrugged.

Levi felt like he’d been punched in the gut. He’d fed on someone?

“Don’t look so horrified, feathers,” Eren said. “I ate a cow, not the neighbours. I wasn’t sure if you’d be strong enough after your injury, so I figured I’d feed myself today.”

Levi nodded, ignoring the part of him that was a little disappointed Eren wouldn’t be drinking from him that morning.

An awkward tension settled over them like a blanket. Levi didn’t know what to say.

_Thanks for showing me why humans are so obsessed with sex._

_Thanks for making me hunger for something I didn’t even realise I wanted._

_Thanks for completely screwing up my afterlife and my dream of retiring in Heaven for eternity._

He was pissed off and confused and he didn’t like it. Levi was a goal-oriented man. Without a clear objective to work towards, he was lost.

Eren cleared his throat. “I think we should check out the school today and see if we can find Armin’s girlfriend Annie.”

Levi nodded. So, Eren was going to pretend that nothing had happened. That was probably for the best. “We need to pick up my bike first.”

Eren grinned. “Why not just fly, feathers?”

***

The Greenville State School was teeming with students on their way to class. Eren and Levi rolled up at the gates; Eren in his hearse and Levi on his bike. A group of teenagers took a keen interest in Levi’s bike, practically drooling over the vehicle from a safe distance. Levi glared as he passed them and committed their faces to memory. If anything happened to his bike he knew who to kill first.

They made a beeline for the staff room and were introduced to the school principal before he took them on a tour. Levi studied the locker filled halls lined with posters and the occasional trophy case, dodging teenagers as they bolted to reach their homeroom class before the bell tolled.

Levi wondered if he would have gone to a place like this as a human if he’d lived. He knew he’d probably have hated it.

“Annie Leionhardt will be in Miss Hange’s class,” The principal brought them to the classroom and requested Annie be removed for a quick interview. Miss Hange, a wild-looking teacher with a nest of brown hair and thick glasses, squinted at Levi and Eren then waved them away in order to continue her lecture on what sounded suspiciously like genetic engineering.

In the hall, Annie gave Levi and Eren a curious look. “You don’t look like feds.”

Levi was surprised they’d managed to avoid suspicion until now. Levi was wearing his usual suit with his silver blades tucked inside but Eren refused to upgrade his wardrobe. He wore his black leather jacket over jeans and a band tee. Levi gave him an accusatory look. Eren just shrugged.

“We have some questions about your boyfriend, Armin Arlert,” Eren said.

Annie’s bravado vanished and tears filled her eyes. “Last time I saw him he was in the school parking lot waiting for his grandfather to pick him up.”

They didn’t get anything useful out of Annie, but that was to be expected. Mostly, Levi and Eren were waiting for a sign that Armin’s soul was nearby. They questioned Annie for as long as they could without causing suspicion, then took the girl back to class.

When they opened the door and ushered her inside, Miss Hange welcomed her with a wide grin and greeted Levi and Eren like old friends. She dragged them to the front of the class before they could even think of escape.

Levi clenched his jaw as he stared at the blank faces of two dozen teenagers.

“Students, these two men are federal agents. They are going to help me with a little science experiment.” Hange brought out a tray with a series of unlabelled chemicals in test tubes, a box of tissue paper squares and a Bunsen burner. She lit the burner with a flourish. A long orange flame burst from the tip. She turned the handle and switched it to the hotter blue flame.

“Mister federal agent, would you please dip one of those paper squares into a tube of your choosing then light it on fire,” Hange asked Levi.

He thought about making up an excuse about how busy government workers were, but figured it would be more trouble than it was worth. He followed Hange’s instructions and used a set of silver tweezers to dip a tissue paper square in the nearest beaker then moved it towards the flame. The instant it touched the fire, the paper exploded in a brilliant pink firework and made a loud popping noise. The entire class jumped, including Levi.

Hange clapped her hands together and laughed maniacally.

“Brilliant. Now you do one.” She said to Eren.

Eren shook his head. He couldn’t touch the silver tweezers without burning his fingers.

“He’s afraid of fire,” Levi explained. Hange rolled her eyes and snatched the tweezers from Levi.

“Nothing to be scared of,” She dunked another square into a tube and held it over the flame. This explosion was much more severe. The tissue paper melted into little hunks of lavalike goo and splattered over Levi, Eren and Hange.

Eren scrunched his nose and patted at the gunk which had caught on his sleeve. Where it touched his bare skin, it didn’t even leave a mark. Levi however, hissed between his teeth and watched the red lava corrode through the skin of his arm like acid. Luckily, only a few drops had hit him. He managed to cover the deep wound with his hand before Hange could see.

Levi ground his teeth when the wound didn’t immediately begin to heal. What substance could hurt angels like that?

The minor mishap in the laboratory caused a small fire, which Hange attended to with manic energy. The students barely reacted, apparently used to this kind of display. Levi and Eren took their opportunity to sneak out.

Once they were back in the carpark, Levi showed Eren his arm. Usually, this kind of wound would heal over immediately, but nothing was happening. Where the splattered drops had touched him, the skin had blackened and corroded away and seemed to regenerate at a much slower pace.

“What was that stuff?” Eren asked.

Levi shrugged.

“Whatever it was, we should destroy it before it falls into the wrong hands,” Levi said, then bit his cheek when he realised that ‘the wrong hands’ were vampires or, more specifically, Eren. If he wanted to, Eren could use the stuff to kill Levi once they captured Armin’s rogue soul. Levi couldn’t believe that Eren would have forgotten his orders, even after what had transpired between them the night before.

“We’ll have to come back tonight and destroy it,” Eren said a little too eagerly.

Levi frowned. “Maybe I should come back on my own.”

Eren turned his intense green stare onto Levi’s face. “You still don’t trust me.”

“Can you blame me?” Levi asked.

Eren looked like he wanted to say something, but ended up storming to his hearse instead.

“I’ll meet you at the Leionhardt house,” Eren shouted as his engine turned over. He tore off down the street, leaving Levi confused and a little angry.

***

That night Levi returned to the school alone. At least, he thought he was alone. It became obvious within a few minutes of lurking the unlit hallways that he had been followed. He ignored the careful stomp of feet behind him, giving Eren the benefit of the doubt until he reached the science lab.

When he opened the door, Eren was already waiting for him. The vampire was perched atop a lab table with a Bunsen burner illuminating his pale skin. Levi frowned. He’d been fast to sneak around and get into the science lab before him. He swore the footsteps had been coming from behind.

Levi stepped into the room and closed the door.

“Did you find it?” Levi asked, his arms crossed over his chest.

Eren smirked. “What, no comment on how I should be back at the motel?”

“It would be redundant considering you clearly aren’t.”

“Right. Because the _dangerous_ vampire should be locked away at night lest he chomp on the neighbours or find a new angel killing weapon to send down to Hell.” Eren could not have sounded more sarcastic if he had tried.

“It’s not my fault that we’re on opposite sides of this. If you could just be a little more professional…”

“Professional!” Eren burst out laughing. “You want to talk about professional. What would you call what happened last night? Was that _professional_?”

Levi clenched his jaw. Remembered sensations floated to the surface. The tension, the pleasure, the gentle then desperate caresses to his wings and body. “It shouldn’t have happened. I won’t pretend I didn’t have a part in it, but it won’t happen again.”

Something dangerously close to hurt flashed across Eren’s features, but was quickly replaced with fury. “You’re right. It was a mistake.”

Eren picked up the jar filled with a clear blue liquid. Levi's heart raced as he wondered what Eren would do next.

He tossed the jar at Levi. “That’s the stuff that burned you. Do what you want with it.”

The glass felt cold and unsatisfying in Levi's hands. He didn’t enjoy hurting Eren, but what did he expect him to say? They couldn’t be more ill-suited to one another. Levi was an ANGEL. Eren was a VAMPIRE. They were Heaven and Hell’s agents. The only relationship they could ever have was that of enemies.

“Thanks,” Levi muttered as Eren brushed past. He tried to ignore the hollow feeling in his chest.

Eren reached for the doorknob. Neither Levi nor Eren were prepared when the door opened towards them. There was a flash of light and suddenly they were both soaked in a sweetly scented liquid. Levi’s chest tightened when he realised that the liquid was the same shade of blue as the stuff he held in his hand.

“Welcome to science class, boys,” Miss Hange strolled into the room with a match already lit. Eren growled and bared his fangs, but didn’t move to attack. He wasn’t faster than fire.

Hange’s teeth glowed in the dimly lit room. The fire from the Bunsen burner flickered in the lenses of her glasses. “Let's do an experiment.”


	8. Chapter 8

Eren and Levi backed away from Hange’s flame. She herded them into the corner. With their backs pressed against the wall and the match glowing with the threat of spontaneous combustion, they both held their breaths.

“What’s the experiment?” Eren asked.

Hange couldn’t have looked more pleased with the question.

“I’m so glad you asked. I’m testing weapons on supernatural creatures.” Hange grinned, her eyes focused on Levi with a look he could only describe as hunger. “I’ve never had a live angel to work with before. What fun we’ll have together.”

“How do you know what I am?” Levi demanded.

Hange’s manic expression turned dark and dangerous. “You learn a lot when you grow up as a vampire’s feeder.”

Eren swallowed nervously. He certainly wasn’t going to have any negotiating power here.

“Would it help if I told you I only drink from animals?” Eren offered with a crooked smile.

Hange’s response was to throw the almost burnt-out match at Eren.

The vampire’s leather jacket exploded into a ball of flames. Eren ripped the material off and immediately dropped to the floor to bat at the flames. He was singed and stank like a barbeque, but he was alive.

Levi lunged at Hange, but she lit another match almost as quickly as she’d flicked the other one at Eren.

“I know this stuff doesn’t burn vampires. Angels, however.” Hange stepped closer. Levi held his ground. He cringed when Hange brought the match beside his eyeball. Her breath fanned his face. The flame flickered. “I could light you up like a torch.”

Levi swallowed.

Eren couldn’t interfere without risking Levi’s life. The curse prevented him from acting. Instead, he watched Hange with a clenched jaw.

Levi wanted to shout at Eren to kill the crazy scientists and damn the consequences. He was doomed anyway. Heaven would not let him go unpunished for telling Armin the secrets of the afterlife. 

“Unless you want your friend to die you’ll put these on, vampire,” Hange didn’t break eye contact with Levi as she reached for her belt and threw a pair of silver handcuffs at Eren’s feet.

Eren looked at the handcuffs, then at Levi. After a moment of deliberation, he clicked the restrains into place. Steam poured from his wrists and his skin turned black where it touched the metal. His face contorted into a mask of pain, but he remained silent.

Levi ground his teeth.

Hange laughed. “Wonderful.”

She dropped the match. Eren gave a cry, and Levi flinched and shut his eyes, waiting for the burning sensation to overcome his body. Warmth surrounded him, but he was miraculously still alive. When he opened his eyes, he realised he had been manoeuvred into the centre of a ring of fire. Coated in the flammable, angel killing liquid, he was trapped.

“Now,” Hange said. “Let’s play a game.”

***

Eren’s screams filled the school halls. No amount of begging or pleas for mercy had an effect on the ruthless scientist.

He was confined with a silver chain to a tall lab chair while Hange tested various materials on his skin. Silver was the most effective, but all weapons still managed to slice into his flesh. She timed how long it took him to heal and was delighted to discover that different parts of his body healed at different rates. She was particularly fascinated when Eren lost enough blood that his fangs snapped out and his eyes turned black. He was quickly losing his sanity, and Levi could do nothing but watch.

Things were already looking bleak when a familiar string of lights fluttered into the classroom and curled around Levi’s wrist.

Armin materialised before him. The young blonde boy wore a grim expression.

“This doesn’t look good for you,” Armin observed.

Levi ground his teeth. He couldn’t speak without alerting Hange to the presence of the soul. Which was probably for the best because right now he wanted nothing more than to curse Armin for what he had done to his wings.

“I can help you if you’ll let me possess you,” Armin said.

Levi’s face said it all. That was a resounding NO. A spirit needed permission to possess an angel, but the act was considered a violation equal to… well, equal to letting a vampire suck your blood. If the sins were equal, Levi considered, then what did he really have to lose?

Eren released another pained cry. Levi made up his mind.

He nodded.

Armin bared his teeth in an ugly grin. “Excellent.”

The string of lights tightened around Levi’s wrist until they sunk beneath his skin. Levi felt the sparking electricity of Armin’s spirit run through his body and to the centre of his chest where it wrapped itself around Levi’s soul. With his angelic nature overcome by the spirit, Hange’s fire was nothing but an inconvenience. Levi/Armin waved his arm and the flames parted. 

Armin, in Levi’s body, leapt across the flaming barrier and launched himself at the science teacher’s back. His hands wrapped around her throat and squeezed. Even in the backseat, Levi couldn’t help but find the battle somewhat satisfying. That was, until Hange backhanded Levi/Armin and he went flying into a pile of chairs. They rained around him, crashing against his small frame and bruising his body.

“What’s this?” Hange’s eyes glowed with curiosity. “You left the ring of fire. How is that possible?”

She grabbed Levi/Armin around the collar and hauled him to his feet. Armin was dazed, so Levi’s body was as limp as a ragdoll. Levi wished he had the power to take back control, but he’d agreed to this. Armin was in charge now.

Hange leaned closer and stared into his eyes. She arched an eyebrow, then whistled.

“Armin, is that you in there?” Hange cooed.

Levi/Armin’s head snapped around. 

“Yes!” Hange pumped her free fist into the air. “I knew it would work. Look how strong you’ve become. All thanks to my potion.”

Levi/Armin blinked. “You did this to me?”

Eren’s black eyes widened.

“Aren’t you grateful? I’ve made you into the most powerful spirit in the world.” Hange cried.

Levi/Armin’s eyes filled with frustrated tears. “You killed me! All I wanted was to go to college and be with Annie. And you killed me. All for some sick experiment.”

Lightning sparked across Levi/Armin’s skin.

Hange dropped Levi as one of the bolts licked at her fingers. Her eyes widened from behind her thick glasses and she took a careful step backwards. Her manic smile never faltered.  

“Armin, I gave you a gift.”

“You murdered me!” Levi/Armin roared. Lightbulbs, beakers and glass cabinets exploded into shards as lightning filled the room. An overpowering scent of fire and ozone filled Levi’s nostrils as Armin raised his arms at Hange.

Hange waved her hands in front of her face, begging for forgiveness. “I only wanted to make you stronger!”

“Well, you succeeded,” Armin said, then directed all of his furious vengeance towards the science teacher. The world exploded into bright streaks of deadly light. Bolt after bolt shot through Hange’s chest, causing her body to jolt and dance until Armin tired himself out and she collapsed; a charred, dead mess.

Levi/Armin fell to his knees. He was gasping and there was a dull throbbing in the back of his head. Levi could feel that Armin had drained himself in the act of killing his tormenter.

“Thank you,” Armin gasped after a time. Slowly, he unwrapped his soul from around Levi. He escaped through Levi’s chest and hovered just out of reach. Levi and Eren kept their eyes trained on their prize. Slowly, the boy materialised before them. They both waited for him to flee, but it didn’t happen.

Levi’s gaze left the apparition to land on Eren, who was still tied up.

Eren coughed up a glob of black blood. He winced as the motion caused his forearms to brush against the silver chains which encircled his arms.

They shared a silent communication. Levi knew he could leave Eren at a disadvantage and try and capture Armin alone. Somehow, it didn’t seem right. He unwrapped the chains and allowed them to fall to the ground with a loud clunk. Eren looked deep into Levi’s eyes with a curious expression before he looked past him to where Armin was standing.

“What now?” Levi asked Armin.

“I won't leave Earth. Not without Annie.” Armin said.

The boy didn’t realise what he was saying. Souls that remained on Earth did not remain peaceful spectres. Watching the people they love living the life they wished they could never failed to drive them insane. Armin would be no exception. He didn’t realise he was condemning himself to an eternity of misery.

“Armin, are you sure you don't want to come with us?” Eren said. His voice was gravelly. His back was bent and his arms wrapped around his waist as if he were trying to hold himself together. His black eyes and elongated incisors gave him a predatory expression. Levi no longer found it disgusting.

Armin nodded. "She needs me."

“Okay,” In a move faster than Levi could see, Eren launched himself at Armin and clamped a thin chain with a heavy, antique locket around his neck. The moment it fell into place Armin vanished and the chain dropped lifelessly to the ground.

Levi felt something tug in his chest as Erwin’s curse lifted from his soul.

_You will do everything in your power to keep the other alive until you have completed your mission._

The mission was to collect Armin Arlert’s soul. The job was done. Now, nothing was stopping them from killing each other. 

It had happened so fast. Levi tensed. He bit his lip as he watched the vampire move across the room. 

Eren bent to lift the chain off the floor. “This is it, feathers.”

Levi’s lip curled. His energy was drained after housing Armin’s furious spirit and Eren was injured from Hange’s experiments. It would be an even fight. His hands reached into the folds of his jacket for his silver blades even as his stomach rolled with the wrongness of the action.

Eren glanced out the window at the dull orange glow on the horizon. “I need to feed, and heal.”

Levi ground his teeth. His eyes followed Eren’s hands as he slipped the locket which held Armin's soul over his head. It rested just below his collarbone and glowed an ominous green in the dark room. 

He needed to get the locket from him. He needed to take Armin to Erwin. That was his job.

“Forgive me if I don’t volunteer my blood,” Levi said and removed his first blade.

Eren blinked as if surprised to hear Levi’s voice. He looked sad. Sadder than he had reason to look. “I wasn’t talking to you.”

The room echoed with a horribly familiar chuckle. Levi’s blood ran cold. Before he had a chance to turn and run, something heavy slammed into the back of his skull and the world went black.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading!
> 
> If you liked it, comments and kudos make me ridiculously happy. :D


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